


What Makes A Hero

by AnimatorZee



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 21:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2040831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimatorZee/pseuds/AnimatorZee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The King of Red Lions finds that Link is full of surprises - some of which give him cause for thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Makes A Hero

Daphnes reasoned with himself that there were only two kinds of people that would be so reckless and foolhardy as to charge into the Forsaken Fortress without second thought: dim-witted fools with lack of foresight, or dangerous individuals with nothing to lose. Such was the danger of a place overrun with monsters and overseen by Ganon and the Helmaroc King. Ganon's aerial minion had been causing trouble across the Great Sea for some time, its very presence enough to spread fear in those unaware of its true purpose.

With all of that in mind, Daphnes was surprised to find the fortress infiltrated by - of all people - a young boy armed with an old practice sword and a cheap shield that was probably more fit for decoration than protection.

It was almost laughably predictable, had it not been so dangerous. Link had been caught red-handed and thrown into the sea, left for dead. Had Daphnes not arrived him time, it was entirely possible that the boy would have drowned. Miraculously, he was unharmed. If anything, it had taken him a little longer than expected to come to. Once awake, however, Link was entirely attentive and ready to get back to business, all too eager to get going and do whatever it took to save his sister.

He'd quickly discovered that Link was full of contradictions and surprises. Although lazy and difficult to rouse from slumber, once the boy got going he was incredibly energetic. When faced with danger, it was not uncommon at all to hear Link yelp in shock or fear before promptly turning tail and running if he could. However, he could just as easily face those same dangers head-on, pressing on and refusing to back down, even when cornered. Link was slow at times and even clumsy, yet he was somehow incredibly observant and dexterous, not to mention agile. Uncountable were the times Link did something childish (it took Daphnes ages to convince Link to put down the Pictobox once he'd found it); but when push came to shove, Link was serious, unshakable, and downright unstoppable. If he really wanted to, Link could probably hold a staring contest with a headstone and _win_. Link had some other interesting quirks, as well; he was particularly protective of his telescope, apparently given to him by his sister.

Getting the boy to speak up was downright impossible at times, but luckily Link was an agreeable enough lad and caused hardly any major trouble. Link rarely talked, and when he did he didn't have very much to say. Daphnes was worried that communication would be an issue, but he quickly noticed that Link had various other ways of making his thoughts known, and was incredibly expressive without need for speech. While unafraid to make known his opinion on things, Link was always polite and thoughtful, not to mention highly attentive when spoken to.

Along with being full of surprises, Link was also host to several harsh reminders. The boy had grown up on an island far to the south, and had never really visited the rest of the Great Sea until the debacle with the Helmaroc King. Daphnes was all too familiar with the wonders and dangers of the Great Sea by now, but Link was certainly not. Nearly every step Link took, there was something new for him. Still, this hardly gave Daphnes too much cause for worry. He had faith in the boy, after all; reckless and foolhardy as he was, he could sense great courage in him. He had every reason to believe in Link.

It was only when they stopped by Outset Island, Link's home, that Daphnes had really paused for thought.

The whole way over, through the whole storm, there was something in Link's expression that Daphnes hadn't seen before. It was an expression torn among urgency, determination, and fear. Link made a beeline for Outset, the wind howling and practically dragging them along in its ferocity. Whether it was the Wind Waker at work or something else was a mystery, but something was at their backs pushing them along faster than normal.

When they  _did_ arrive on Outset, Link's immediate first stop was a lonely house on the far side of the island. It seemed reasonable enough that Link's first stop would be to visit his family. Daphnes kept a watchful eye on Link via the gossip stone just in case, and was a little wary to find that Link's home was alarmingly quiet. There was little of interest, aside perhaps from the fact that an old woman sat in a chair in the corner, a blanket draped across her lap. She appeared to be asleep, although judging from her muttering, her rest was not a peaceful one. Link approached the old woman quietly and, after a few long moments of silence, spoke.

"Grandma...?"

This wasn't the voice of courageous young Link. There was no energy, no spirit, no eagerness. This voice was weak and fearful. Daphnes found himself faced with a harsh reminder: that Link, for all his bravery and accomplishments thus far, was still just a child. Daphnes had known all of Hyrule, and by now, all of the Great Sea. But this island - this small, barely populated island - was all Link had ever known up until not too long ago. Thanks to Ganon, the threat of that and everything in it being torn from him loomed over his head, jeering at him with every crash of lightning. That threat was very real, and now it was hitting him where it hurt the most: his family.

Link came racing back outside, practically leaping back onto the boat, but didn't set sail. Instead, Daphnes watched him dig frantically through the bag he'd left on board, pushing aside the various tools and spoils he'd acquired. He finally settled on a small glass bottle, inside of which awaited a tiny, glowing fairy. Link gave it a short gaze before gripping it tightly in one hand, jumping back onto shore and racing back to his house.

The moment Link's grandmother opened her eyes, her nightmares having vanished, Daphnes could see an incredible smile of relief spreading across Link's face. The boy wasted no time in throwing his arms around the old woman, tears streaming down his face. Daphnes retreated, allowing Link some time with his grandmother while giving himself some time to turn some thoughts over in his head.

For so long, Daphnes had sought out a hero that could defeat Ganon. He thought he'd found someone, a spirit full of courage, ready to stare evil in the face and charge head-on. Link had courage, that was undeniable, but what a strange boy he was. Lazy, but energetic. Childish, yet responsible. Clumsy, yet skilled. High-strung, yet brave. When Daphnes met him, he was sure that he'd found the Hero he was looking for. But at heart, Link was a big brother trying to save his little sister, something he'd failed to do once already and was all too determined not to fail at again. Was it right for someone so young to carry such a great burden? Perhaps it was _because_ of this...? Something about it felt unfair. Daphnes wasn't blind to the hardships that Link had to endure. It couldn't be easy for anyone at such a young age to deal with such a thing, but the way Link pressed on seemed to defy any expectation. The Goddesses truly worked in mysterious ways...

When Link finally returned, he seemed exhausted, but happy, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was clear that his fight was not yet over; Daphnes could still see a spark of determination in the boy's eyes. This was the same boy that faced the Helmaroc King head-on to save his sister, and even met with failure, didn't give up. The boy who risked his life again and again. He was no Hero of Time, but what Link had was special, and something told him that the boy wasn't about to stop surprising him any time soon.

Daphnes glanced up at Link as he walked down the dock. "Are you ready?" he asked.

As usual, Link nodded quietly. But this time, he gave an affirmative smile. Had he been able to, the King of Red Lions would have offered him one in return.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! Thanks for reading this, folks!
> 
> This idea randomly came to me, and I decided to scribble it out before it left my head. I haven't written Daphnes ever, and I have only the barest grasp of his character, so this was quite a challenge for me. I apologize if the characterization in this seems at all off. I am also without a beta, so if there are any spelling/grammar errors please let me know and I'll fix them as soon as possible. Again, thank you for reading!


End file.
